


Dancing in the Dark

by KangarooCourt



Category: Space Cases (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, First Time, Love, Love Confessions, Requited Love, Romance, Secrets, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 05:34:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15599412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KangarooCourt/pseuds/KangarooCourt
Summary: When it's late and dark and you can't sleep, your thoughts tend to wander. Where they tend to wander can lead to secrets revealed, confessions and possibly the rest of your life.“It’s not that you CAN’T help me, Commander...it’s that if I were to tell you my problem, you wouldn’t WANT to.”





	Dancing in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> This is naughty. I mean...wow. But you know, I always saw such crazy chemistry between these two and, well...yeah. So this? This is wish fulfillment. This is what early to mid-90s me always expected to happen, albeit much more explicit. Davenport/Goddard. Love and lust and all the feels rolled up into one dirty little fic. Bring on the pitchforks and run me out of the fandom.

Well, shit.

 

He was screwed. He was so monumentally screwed. How had this happened? The better question was how had this happened...again? He thought he’d learned his lesson ages ago: never, ever, EVER fall in love. Not ever. 

 

And yet, when she’d smiled at him at dinner earlier and said, “Good evening, Commander,” his heart had flipped in his chest again and he realized with a sinking feeling in his stomach that he’d gone and done it. Seth Goddard--who had prided himself on being able to all but smother any sense of emotion he might have--had well and truly fallen in love with TJ Davenport. 

 

Well, shit. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

Bloody hell. 

 

How had she let this happen? TJ Davenport paced her quarters, hands twisted in her red hair and eyes narrowed in frustration. She was a sensible woman, for heaven’s sake, and somehow a schoolgirl (well, a bit more than a schoolgirl, Theresa, be realistic) crush had evolved into...this. This overwhelming feeling of affection, a healthy dose of desire and, if she was completely honest with herself, love. 

 

She stopped at the foot of her bed at that thought. “Oh god, I love him,” she murmured. “I’m in love with him. I’m in love with Seth Goddard.” 

 

Bloody hell. 

 

********************************************************************************

He couldn’t sleep. He had no idea what time it was, but he knew it had to be late. He’d been tossing and turning for hours, unable to get her smile from that evening out of his head. The soft look in her eyes, the curve of her lips...those lips. Oh, how he wondered what those lips would feel like pressed against his, brushing over his skin, wrapped around his--

 

“Nope. No, no, no. Cannot go there, Seth. Uh-uh.” He shook his head and flipped over again, squeezing his eyes closed to ward off the images that invaded his brain. Her mouth, swollen with his kisses...her naked skin...the look of ecstasy on her face as he teased her to her peak…

 

He jumped from the bed, scrubbing his hands over his face. It wasn’t bad enough that he had to be in love with her, but his traitorous body and raging libido had to get in on the game too? It wasn’t fair. He knew as well as he knew anything that there was no way she’d ever feel that way about him. He knew beyond a doubt that even if he could ever convince her to let him hold her or kiss her, he certainly would never get further than that. They might have a friendship of sorts at this point, but the idea of her ever returning his feelings was laughable. He wasn’t her type--he saw her with someone much more cerebral, intellectual, well-read. He was not a stupid man, but he was nowhere near as brilliant as she was. Aside from that, what would a woman like her want with an aging, busted in rank former military man turned total disgrace? She deserved so much more than he’d ever be able to give her. She deserved the galaxy and he could never give that to her. 

 

He’d descended into morose musings and decided that the best companion for his current mood was a late night food wheel snack. He threw his robe on over his undershirt and thin sleep pants and made his way into the hall, not realizing until it was too late that he was centimeters from slamming into the woman he’d just been fantasizing about, nor did he realize that he was still sporting an impressive erection as a result of those fantasies. 

Well, shit. Again. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

Sleep was eluding her. It was late in the night and she knew that she’d be exhausted in the morning, but she couldn’t turn off her brain. Her thoughts were consumed with her earlier realization of her feelings for the Commander.  Love wasn’t something she’d ever given much thought to, honestly. Her career was number one, and all of her focus had been on that for as long as she could remember. There had never really been time for anything else, despite the crush she’d harbored on her father’s favorite student for so long. It was always in the background, a passing flicker of interest when she saw him or heard his name, but that was it. It wasn’t like she’d spent her adult years pining for him, and yet...now she realized that those early feelings, while tempered by her frustration at his ill-executed chase after Reaver and the fallout from that, had simply served as a foundation for the chance for her to relearn who he was while they were on the Christa and consequently fall completely in love with him. 

 

Thinking about the days after his placement at the Academy and the scandal surrounding what he’d done, she felt a terrible ache in her heart when she considered how she’d treated him. She’d been so contemptuous, so derisive, so...hateful. That was the best word for it. She was hateful because she was disappointed in his actions and angry at him for rising so fast only to fall so far. She didn’t know the whole story behind the Reaver situation at the time--few people did--so she, like everyone else, made assumptions about Seth’s actions. When she learned later exactly what had nearly transpired, she tended to believe the STARDOGS had responded in the worst possible way. He’d been trying to prevent a dangerous criminal from committing a heinous crime--how was that wrong? She should have known then that her feelings were beginning to grow, but she’d ruthlessly stamped them down, knowing that he’d never reciprocate her emotions after the way she’d acted. The day they’d chased the children onto the Christa changed everything, including her view of him as a leader and a teacher. Over the course of their time on the ship, she had learned who he truly was--a strong, brave man who would give his all for his crew and commanded with wisdom and integrity. A man like that would never want a woman like her, a woman too nervous to handle the rigors of space without the screaming and fainting she was so prone to. She was too brainy to compete with the kind of woman he would want, someone as brave as he was and as steady as he was in the face of danger. He’d never feel for her the way she felt for him. That thought brought tears to her eyes. She would likely love him for the rest of her life and he would not ever begin to return those feelings. The tears continued to build until they were slipping silently down her cheeks. Entirely rattled by the revelations she’d dealt with all night, she decided to slip off to the galley for a soothing cup of tea. She tied the belt of her robe and headed into the hallway, taking two steps out of the door before she collided with the Commander. 

 

“Oh my! Commander Goddard!” She lost her footing and landed firmly against his broad chest, catching her breath when she felt his hard length against her hip. 

 

Bloody hell, indeed. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

He still had his arms around her. He couldn’t seem to let go. His eyes locked with hers and any words he’d had on his tongue died at the look on her face. He could see tear tracks on her cheeks, and her lips were downturned and puckered. He tightened his grip and tipped his head to meet her eyes. 

 

“TJ? You’ve been crying. What’s wrong?” 

She tried to shift away from him and somehow managed to rock against his groin again. He stifled a moan and bit his lip as his eyes slid closed. He could feel her stare burning into him, curious and...something else. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. 

 

Her dark eyes were wide, pupils blown. Her cheeks, still damp, were flushed with pink. She too had been biting her lower lip and it was swollen and reddened. She looked every bit the part of a woman aroused, and the sight of her sent a flare of heat through Seth. Still, he struggled past that and voiced his concern again. “Are you alright? I can see you’ve been crying.” 

 

TJ sighed. “I’m alright now, Commander. Thank you.” She pulled away from him and took a step back, turning to walk away. Something in him snapped and he reached out to catch her arm before she could slip past him. She froze when she felt his hand on her arm. The touch made her heart skip a beat. She stood still, barely breathing, and waited. 

 

When he spoke, his voice was low and rough with care and worry. “TJ, don’t hide from me. Don’t shut me out. I...care about you. You can talk to me. What is it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry.” 

 

She couldn’t look at him. She was terrified he’d see that her heart was in her eyes and she would be humiliated if he knew how she felt. Oh, he’d be kind about it. He’d let her down easy with gentle words about friendship and service and duty, but she’d never be able to get past the crushing weight of that heartbreak. She took a breath and tried her best to steady her voice. 

 

“Commander, I assure you that I am alright. Just a long day and a sleepless night.” 

 

He didn’t buy it. There was something in the undercurrent of her voice that screamed to him that something was wrong. Her flat, empty tone set off alarm bells in his mind, and the stress of the night--his constant thoughts of her, his own sleeplessness and his worry for her--finally collapsed on him, and he broke. 

 

“For once, I wish you could just trust me and let me in. Let me be there for you. Let me help you! God, you drive me crazy!” He turned away from her to stare at the wall, breathing heavily and trying to resist the urge to touch her again. He almost had himself under control when she barked out a sarcastic laugh. 

 

“Help me? You want to help me? Oh, my dear Commander, I can guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to help me, nor would you want to. Not if I told you--” She broke off, realizing too late that she’d said too much. 

 

“Told me what? What could be so dire that the high and mighty TJ Davenport couldn’t foist it upon a mere mortal such as myself? What could you possibly be dealing with that is so vast I can’t begin to help you?”

 

His snarky tone of voice did her in. She was tired, heartsick and frustrated, and he was simply piling on, making her dizzy with irritation and wishing she could storm away. She had a feeling if she tried, he’d simply follow her, so she decided to stand her ground and let the chips fall where they may. 

 

“It’s not that you CAN’T help me, Commander...it’s that if I were to tell you my problem, you wouldn’t WANT to.” All of the heat had drained from her voice. She stood in front of him in silent defeat, waiting for his response. 

 

“What are you talking about, TJ? Of course I would want to help you. You’re my friend, and I…,” he trailed off at the look on her face. Part incredulous amusement and part total devastation, her expression rocked him to his core. 

 

“Friend. Yes. Friend. And that, Seth, is why you wouldn't want to help me. Because believe me, I’m feeling anything but friendly toward you right now, and I know that it doesn’t matter because you’ll never love me the way I love you.” 

 

There. It was out. She’d said it and as far as she could tell, the galaxy hadn’t ended. The hallway was silent aside from the sound of their breathing, and she found she could no longer look Seth in the eye. She had to get away, had to run and hide before he could speak or laugh or do any one of a thousand terrible things in response to her confession. She took a step back and made to move past him when he shifted into her path and his fingers landed on her chin. He tipped her face up to try to meet her eyes, so she closed them to avoid the look on his face. 

“TJ. Oh, sweetheart, look at me, please.” 

 

_ Sweetheart?  _ She was clearly hallucinating, but curiosity got the best of her, and she opened her eyes. What she saw took her breath away. He was smiling so brightly that it was blinding and his eyes...oh, his eyes. They were glistening with tears that she had to assume were ones of joy. She was stunned.  _ Could he possibly…?  _ “Seth? What...what is happening right now?” 

He stepped closer, so close she could feel the whisper of his breath on her face. His fingers moved to stroke her jawline tenderly, and the movement made her shiver. He grinned in delight and whispered, “Oh, TJ, how wrong you are. For once in your life, you are utterly and completely wrong. Because, you see, I love you like crazy.” The words barely had time to register in her mind before his mouth was on hers and they were finally, finally, kissing. 

********************************************************************************

 

His head was spinning and his lungs burned, hungry for air, but he refused to break the kiss. It was the greatest kiss of his life, so oxygen be damned. It had started off sweetly, a tender sort of thing, and then TJ moaned against his lips and Seth was off to the races. His tongue traced her lower lip and she parted her lips to let him in, the taste of her immediately addictive. He pressed her tightly against his body as he deepened the kiss even more, and when she wrapped one of her legs around his and tipped her pelvis into him...he was gone. She pulled away from his mouth but not before dragging his lower lip with her teeth. Seth chased her mouth with his and was slightly disappointed when she shook her head. 

 

“I think we need to move this into a more private location, Seth. It wouldn’t do for a student to see us wrapped around each other like this.” She turned away from him and moved to the door of her quarters. He was behind her in a flash, his hands landing on her lush hips as she accessed the door lock. They moved as one into her room and Seth, lost in the feel of her body under his hands, pressed himself fully against her backside. She swayed her hips, rocking back and forth across his groin, and he couldn’t suppress a deep groan. 

 

“You are delicious, TJ Davenport. I need you out of these clothes. I need to see you.” He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so turned on in his entire life.  _ So this is what it’s like when you’re in love. _ The feeling was heady and Seth wanted to drown in it. He watched in abject amazement as the incredible woman in front of him untied her robe and slipped it off, revealing only a short, silky nightgown. He lifted one hand to her shoulder and slipped his fingers beneath the slim straps of her gown. The sky blue fabric slid seamlessly under his skin, or was that her skin that was so smooth? He was no longer sure. “You look unbelievable. This isn’t standard issue, though.” 

 

She shook her head, a playful smile on her lips. “It is not. It’s just something I picked up at the last outpost we visited. I wanted something that would make me feel pretty. That, and…,” she trailed off, cheeks flushing. 

 

He was instantly intrigued. “And what?” She was adorably flustered and he had to know why. 

 

She sighed softly, feeling silly about her moment of weakness in the lingerie shop during their last stop. “It reminded me of you. Your eyes. The shade.” She could feel her entire face flaming and waited for him to laugh. 

 

The sound he made was anything but a laugh. Her eyes snapped to his face when a guttural groan sounded from him. “That is...god, TJ, that is so...hot. It’s hot. Wow.” 

 

She looked into his eyes and saw only sincerity and desire.  _ This is real. This is happening. He wants me, loves me.  _ She realized a second too late that her tears had returned and spilled over again. And again, Seth’s tender touch landed on her face. 

 

“What is it? Was that not how I was supposed to react? I haven’t even gotten a good look at you in it and I already love it. Was I not supposed to say that?” Seeing her tears made his heart ache. He hated so much to see her cry. The sight of her in tears could drive him to truly spectacular lengths trying to make it better, but he was in uncharted waters in the moment and was afraid he may have gone too far. His concern was short lived when she laughed. 

 

“Oh, Seth. I’m fine. Better than fine. I just realized that this is really happening. I never expected this. I wanted it but I never thought we’d be standing here talking about this.” She stepped closer to him, and he swallowed hard at the heat emanating from her body beneath the satin. “Now, though, I have to say...I’m ready to stop talking and start acting.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and captured his lips again, immediately deepening the kiss and arching her body against him. 

 

They kissed for long moments, tasting and exploring each other’s mouths. Seth’s hands were busy, gliding over the satin covering TJ’s body and garnering sighs of pleasure from her. Her hands weren’t idle, roaming Seth’s broad shoulders, the nape of his neck and the slope of his strong back. He broke the kiss and began nipping at her skin, dragging his tongue over the pulse point at the hollow of her throat. She ran her fingers through his hair and urged him to pull away and look at her. 

 

“Bed. Now.” 

 

Seth thought he would combust. TJ was urgent, ready, hungry for him, and while that was arousing beyond his wildest dreams, he wasn’t quite ready to race to the finish line. “Not yet. I need to see you. Let me take this off of you.” He tugged at the strap of her gown again, desperate to see her without it. At her nod, he grasped the hem of the gown and pulled it over her head. 

 

He was speechless. TJ was completely naked in front of him, and he knew he’d never seen anything so gorgeous in his entire life. She was slender and firm, her skin pale and glowing in the dim light of her quarters. Delicate collarbone, strong arms, full, round breasts. His eyes wandered lower, over her flat belly, curvy hips and long legs. Every inch of her was perfect in his eyes. When he pulled his gaze back to her face, she was wearing an amused smile. 

 

“It’s my turn to look now, darling. Those pajamas have to go.” 

 

Seth had never undressed so quickly in his life. Once his shirt and pants were gone, he looked at her again. Her eyes were darting over his body, taking in the scenery. Watching her look at him made his already aching cock tighten further. He couldn’t help but hope that he was measuring up. 

 

********************************************************************************

He was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. His skin was lightly tanned, covering strong and defined muscles. Flat stomach, narrow hips, and the most impressive erection she’d ever laid eyes on. Seth was not the first man she’d been with, but he was by far the most attractive and the...largest. WIth a mind of its own, her hand reached out and wrapped around his hard length and stroked up and down slowly. 

 

Seth’s reaction was instantaneous and fierce. His knees nearly buckled and the sound that fell from his mouth made TJ’s toes curl in anticipation. Her hand moved tentatively at first, and then more confidently as he groaned and thrust his hips forward. 

 

“TJ, oh my god. That’s amazing.” 

 

She continued to stroke him as she leaned in and traced her tongue slowly over the crest of his ear. “It feels amazing to me too, Seth. You feel amazing. So hard.” She drew his earlobe into her mouth and tugged on it with her teeth. Her hand sped up and his moans got louder. A moment later, he caught her wrist with his hand and stilled hers. 

 

She released her grip on him and looked up into his face. His lips were pressed together and his eyes were closed, his breathing harsh through his nose as he tried to regain control of his arousal. TJ was astounded that she was the one to push him to the edge of his control. “You’ve got to stop, sweetheart. It’s too good and it’ll be over too soon if you don’t. I’ve got more plans for you.” His voice was gravelly and low, and the pitch of it turned her insides to jelly. 

 

When he had regained a bit of restraint, he pulled her body against his and the skin to skin contact was electrifying. Suddenly they were fervently kissing again, and he gently maneuvered her over and eased her down on to the bed. Seth stretched out next to her and let one hand settle against her skin. He traced over her collarbones, kissing down the curve of her shoulder and down to the swell of her breast. He spared a glance up at her face and saw she was lost in desire, her eyes closed and her lips parted as she panted out his name. “Seth. Seth, please. I want…” She stopped, her voice quivering. 

 

“What do you want, baby? Tell me.” 

 

She was shaking beside him, her entire body on edge. She shifted closer and breathed, “I want more. Touch me, taste me. God, I want you so much.”

 

He could hardly believe his ears. This incredible woman wanted him. Him! He leaned closer to her and pressed his lips to the fullness of her breast. She made a breathy sound at the contact, and he craved more of her. He trailed his lips over her skin and when he reached the tip of her breast, he flicked his tongue over her nipple. 

 

“Seth! Oh god…” Her voice was strangled, tight with pleasure. His head spun with the heady feeling of making her react that way. Driven to give her more, he closed his lips over her nipple and began to suck. 

 

Her entire body jerked beneath him, rising off the bed and pressing closer to him. His other hand drifted to her other breast and he began pinching and tugging at her nipple. She was gasping in earnest now, her body quivering. She was on fire with desire for him, for his touch and his kiss. Her hands, which had been twitching on the mattress, landed on his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin. 

He kept tugging and teasing her nipples with his one hand and his mouth as his other hand slid up over her thigh toward her center. Gently, he caressed the silky skin of her inner thigh, feeling her muscles tremble. 

 

“Spread your legs for me, TJ. Let me touch you.” His words, murmured against the peak of her breast, were coaxing. Lost in a haze of pleasure but trying desperately to focus on him, she parted her thighs and his hand slid higher. 

 

“Seth!” The high pitched cry of his name shot straight to his groin, and he struggled not to lose it and come against her hip as he touched her. His fingers slipped over the seam of her wetness, seeking out the nub at the center of her pleasure. When he began to stroke it, her legs shook violently around his hand. She was softly chanting his name, climbing higher and higher toward what she knew would be an explosive climax. Just as she felt the beginning flutters of her orgasm, he drew his hand away and lifted his head from her chest to look her in the eye. 

 

“I want to taste you.”

 

********************************************************************************

She could barely comprehend what he was saying. All she knew was that she had been on the precipice of an incredible orgasm, and then...he stopped touching her, looked into her face and told her he wanted to taste her. She was awash in feelings of incredible pleasure when he moved down the bed, leaned in close and dragged his tongue straight up her center. He sucked and licked at her, and she suddenly became aware of how close she was (again) to coming, and she began to beg. 

 

“Oh Seth, oh god, yes...yes, make me come. So good. Oh, darling…” She trailed off, sensation overwhelming her. Nothing she’d ever experienced had felt this good. Nothing had ever been like the gentle flick of his tongue over her clit, his lips brushing against her sensitive skin...and when his fingers slid into her, she fell apart. She was vaguely aware of crying out his name as the intensity of her pleasure threatened to overtake her. Her body writhed beneath him as her center contracted around his fingers and he pressed his tongue harder against her. She was screaming ( _ Good Lord!)  _ as she suddenly fell over the edge again into another orgasm--or an extension of the first, she was no longer sure--that left her trembling under him as he pulled away from between her thighs and slid up the bed until he could look her in the eye. 

 

When she could finally open her eyes again and began to catch her breath, she looked up into his face and observed his tender, loving smile. “Seth, that was…,” she stopped, lost for words. She had no way of describing the way she felt. His smile somehow grew bigger, and his eyes were glistening when he spoke. 

 

“You are spectacular, TJ.” 

 

Her entire body flushed at his compliment. How could she feel so shy after he’d just has his head between her legs? The thought was absurd, and she began to laugh. He continued to stare at her, smiling, as she giggled. 

 

He was grinning that wide open, full, toothy grin that he reserved for only the best moments as her laughter finally died down. “What was so funny?” He was genuinely curious--he absolutely loved seeing her laugh like that and he wanted to know how to make it happen over and over, every day for the rest of their lives. 

 

TJ grinned too, her face light and eyes joyous. “I just feel so good. I’ve never felt so...happy. I’m so incredibly happy, Seth, and I love you. I love you so much.” 

 

The slight tears that had been present in his eyes since her orgasm burned again, and his heart felt full. “I love you, TJ. I love you more than I can say. You are brilliant and beautiful and sexy and amazing, and you’re mine. MINE. It feels so good to finally be able to say that.” He dropped his head and captured her lips in a deep, hungry kiss that reminded her that while she’d found release, he was still hard against her hip. She knew that he’d never push her into anything, but she also knew that this was what she wanted most at the moment--to give him the pleasure he’d just given her. She reached down and wrapped her hand around his erection again, and he groaned, rocking his hips and sliding in her grip. 

 

“I think it’s time we put this to use and you had your turn. Agreed?” TJ started to move over him, fully intending to take him into her mouth. He grasped her tightly, however, and shook his head. 

 

“Next time. I’m too close, and I want to be inside you. Is that alright?” 

 

********************************************************************************

 

Was that alright? TJ suppressed the urge to laugh again as she considered his request. How could it be anything but alright? She was aroused all over again by the dark, hungry look in Seth’s eyes. “Of course it’s alright. It’s better than alright. I want you inside me, too.” Goodness, who was this woman who was saying these things? Clearly, making love with someone she was truly in love with inspired her naughtier side. 

 

Seth shifted her until she was under him, and he dropped his head to kiss her again. As he did, he moved carefully between her legs and lined himself up with her center. She rocked beneath him and broke the kiss to look into his eyes. 

 

“TJ?” He wanted to be 100 percent sure she was ready for this because he knew that no matter what, he could never go back after this. His desperate hope was that this was it--the capital IT--and that they were hurtling headlong toward forever together. They seemed to be on the same page but anything could happen. Still, even if this would be all he ever had with her, he wanted this. When she smiled up at him, her dark eyes shining, he knew she was ready. He took a deep breath and eased into her, watching her face carefully. Her eyes fluttered closed and she breathed his name, a tender prayer. He pressed forward until his length was nestled deep inside her, and when he stopped moving her eyes opened. 

 

“Seth. Please, oh god, please move. More. I need more.” 

 

Her quiet pleas were his undoing, and he pulled out only to surge forward again, rocking into her and groaning her name as her wet heat surrounded him. “TJ. God, honey, yes. So good.” 

 

She was soon meeting his rhythm with matching thrusts of her hips, and the sound of their bodies colliding only spurred them onward. She wrapped one leg around his hips, much the way she had in the hallway when they first kissed. TJ braced her other foot against the bed and rocketed up to meet him. Her nails scraped down his back, dancing over his skin and anchoring her to him as she climbed ever closer to another mind-blowing climax. 

 

********************************************************************************

 

Seth Goddard wasn’t sure of much in his life, not anymore. The one thing he knew for certain was that he had never in his life felt anything like this. No woman had ever been so open to him, so enthusiastic about what he was doing in bed. He wondered again if this was the real difference between sex and making love. It had to be, because even though he’d believed he’d been in love before, sex was never this good. 

 

God, was it good. Who would have thought that TJ Davenport--prim, proper, polite TJ Davenport--would be such a temptress? Here she was, though, driving Seth mad with pleasure. Her gorgeous body was writhing beneath him, and her voice--that delicious voice, so perfectly accented--was husky with lust. And the words she was saying! Pleas, demands for more, his name and the filthiest swears spilled from her perfect lips as he took her higher and higher. If he hadn’t already been out of his mind in love with her, this would have sealed the deal. Knowing the goddess that lay under the layers of her uniform...he prided himself on being a gentleman so he let that thought go for now. He was close to release himself and he needed to bring her with him. He slid one hand between them and found her clit with questing fingers. 

 

Her response was instant and intense. She screamed his name and flew over the edge into an orgasm the likes of which Seth had never witnessed. Mere seconds after hers started, Seth found himself fighting not to come. He tried riding out her pleasure with her, but it was too much for him and with a roar of her name and a choked, “I love you,”, he came so hard he thought he might black out. He saw lights flash before his closed eyes and felt every one of his nerve endings sing with rapture. Long moments passed--it could have been minutes or hours for all Seth knew. She was still trembling beneath him when he realized that he’d collapsed on top of her. He knew he had to be crushing her, so he made to move away when suddenly her arms tightened around him. 

 

“Stay.” 

 

Her voice was hoarse from screaming and from exhaustion, but he heard her and he relaxed in her arms, turning them slightly so they lay on their sides facing each other. One of her legs was still flung over him, and she nestled into his embrace with a contented sigh. TJ was quiet for so long that Seth thought she’d fallen asleep, so he was startled when she spoke. 

“I love you too. And I’m in this forever too, if that’s really what you want.” 

 

Puzzled, Seth met her eyes. How had she…? She spoke again, seeing the confusion on his face. “You were whispering while we were making love, how you wanted this forever but that even if this was all you’d have with me, it would be enough.” She propped herself up on one elbow so she could meet his gaze directly. “I want what you want, though. I just want to be with you. I fought my feelings for you for so long, refusing to acknowledge that I was in love with you until I simply couldn’t ignore it anymore. It all came to a head tonight and, well, I’m grateful. Having this with you is all I’ve wanted since I fell in love with you.” 

 

Seth was silent, speechless. He hadn’t known he was speaking out loud earlier but now he was thankful he did because he knew without a doubt that he and TJ were in the same place and wanted the same things. It was a comfort to him to know that she felt as strongly as he did. He didn’t know how to convey all he was feeling in words, so he simply bent his head and claimed her lips in a kiss that said it all for him. 

 

He held her close as they drifted off to sleep, marveling at the turn the night had taken. Had it really only been a handful of hours since her smile in the galley had forced him to confront his feelings? It felt like a lifetime had passed since then, and in way he supposed it had. HIs life had totally changed in the hours since his moment of honesty, and he was glad for it. His last thought as he fell asleep was jarring, but not enough to move him from her arms. 

 

_ Radu. Hears. Everything.  _

 

Well...shit. He chuckled as he slid into sleep, wondering how they were going to explain that to their young navigator. 

 

********************************************************************************

TJ woke some time later and was momentarily confused when she realized she wasn’t alone in her bed. The memories flooded back when she saw Seth’s face, relaxed and so handsome in sleep. Her body tingled as remembered pleasure ghosted over her skin. He was holding her close against him, his skin warming every inch of hers. The weight of his body and the gentle strength with which he held her struck her deeply. She’d never felt so safe, so loved...and she’d never had to pee so badly. She tried to slip out of his arms to go to the bathroom but even in his deep sleep he sensed her movement and held her tighter. She wasn’t going anywhere, probably not until he woke up. 

 

Bloody hell. 


End file.
